Voluntary housing Warrants of Fitness

Voluntary housing Warrants of Fitness - an investment for the future

According to Richard Gough of Future-Proof Building, when people are dying as a consequence of the condition of the buildings they are living in, it is time to sit up and do something about it. “The concept of a Warrant of Fitness (WOF) for New Zealand’s homes is very likely a big step in the right direction, particularly if that WOF is applied in line with sound Future-Proof Building principles that promote energy efficiency, quality and health and safety. And, because those principles deliver very real returns on investment for landlords, they needn’t incur long-term costs.”

The coroner recently found that a two year-old child living in a state home succumbed partly because the building was cold, damp and leaky. This shocking news was followed by the revelation that a 37-year old father of six passed away with the moist and chilly state house in which he lived being linked to his death.

Gough says: “New Zealand has long endured a reputation for small, cold houses that lack insulation, despite our climate that, particularly in winter, is both damp and chilly. While the South Island is the more frigid of the two islands, both of these tragic incidents occurred in the North.

However, this reputation is giving way to one where more buildings are better equipped to provide their occupants with a safe, secure and cosy refuge at any time of the year. More builders are applying the Future-Proof Building principles, which include energy smart, quality, and health and safety-conscious approaches to insulation, heating solutions, lighting and appliances.

According to Gough, that applies to state houses, too, as the larger proportion of Housing New Zealand stock has been insulated, with a government programme to do so being completed in 2014. “Moreover, government in 2014 trialled the concept of a WOF for Housing New Zealand homes, with a 49-point checklist to assess their suitability for occupation.

“This effectively constitutes recognition that keeping tenants warm and dry is beneficial to their health; when state house tenants are healthier, their ability to seek gainful employment is improved, while their likelihood of requiring medical assistance or even hospitalisation is reduced and children are better able to learn and flourish.

“But what of private housing stock? Just four per cent of New Zealanders live in state houses, with far more living in un-insulated private rentals. It is these houses which, arguably, should have more scrutiny placed upon them in terms of passing a WOF. Finance Minister Bill English has noted that regulation comes at a cost, and that requiring a WOF for privately let houses will put that cost back on to tenants, while potentially removing up to100,000 un-insulated houses from rental stock.”

Gough says that perhaps a better approach is for private landlords to consider implementing a WOF on their houses of their own accord. “The yardstick is a simple one: would you yourself live in the house being rented to others?”

According to Gough, the motivation to improve the building to that standard requires a very slightly longer-term view than just the rent which comes in at the end of the week. “Houses are investments; putting a little into the property in line with good, sound future-proofing principles just makes good sense as it increases the liveability and desirability of the house. The insulation process in particular, is something that is only done once. It stays with the house for its lifetime. It improves the appeal of the home enormously. It drives up the quality.

“Similarly, sorting out dampness is an investment which means the building will last longer, aligning with the Future-Proof Building principle of sustainability. These are improvements that can be linked to the advantage of the landlord as an investor. But there is another major gain, too - the landlord who puts a little extra into their investment can also sleep more comfortably at night, knowing that their tenants are.”

www.fpb.co.nz

ENDS

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